Intermittent leak from second gear brake band piston cover?

[jwendorf]

My auto tranny has been dripping A/T fluid in our driveway for the last week. I cleaned the transaxle off and coated it with baby powder and have confirmed that it is coming from the bottom of the 2cnd gear brake band piston cover.

Since my tranny slips shifting up from 2cnd to 3rd I've had it on my to do list to pull this cover and try replacing the those two seals on the brake band piston cover, however this is the first time it's ever leaked.

The thing is it seems to be leaking intermittently and I am trying understand why that would be?

For example on Saturday night it leaked a few table spoons of AT fluid during the night and ongoing through the morning. Then we drove it yesterday afternoon. Then this morning I checked to see how much it leaked during the night and there was nothing on the ground.

I've been keeping an eye on the tranny fluid (checking when it's warm, sitting on flat ground and has been idling for several minutes) and it is definitely not empty or even particularly low on AT fluid.

[MarkWard]

The seals will expand with heat. So they seal an unseal. Plan on replacing the cover O rings and while you are in there, might as well replace the lip seals on the apply piston. You need to use caution though. The cover is easy to get off, not so easy to install.

I remove the pan and valve body when I have had to do this job. It allows you to see the piston pin seat on the brake band properly and I have a pair of welder vice grips that I use to clamp the cover down in place while I install the circlip. It will make more sense when you start this job.
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